Top 6 San Francisco 49ers in Week 10

The San Francisco 49ers enlightened the rest of the nation to what those in the San Francisco Bay Area have know since Week 6: The 49ers are a legitimate threat to win the NFC.

Against the torrid New York Giants, San Francisco displayed all of the signs you would expect to see from a championship caliber team. The current team possesses an iron will to overcome obstacles that fans aren't used to seeing from their 49ers of the last decade.

The 49ers aren't shy on talent either, and that can be even more important than will. In Week 10, the 49ers players provided a deluge of exceptional individual performances.

Kendall Hunter

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

When Frank Gore left the game, fans weren't too concerned about whether Kendall Hunter could pick up the slack. They have seen him do it before.

49ers fans weren't disappointed. After Carlos Rogers' second interception of the day, Hunter capped off the drive with a 17-yard touchdown scamper in which he wasn't even touched by a single Giants defender.

It turned out the 49ers would need that extra score, too. Eli Manning and the Giants made it interesting at the end, and Hunter's score proved to be the difference in the game.

Carlos Rogers

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Carlos Rogers continues to make general manager Trent Baalke look like a genius for resisting the urge to throw money at Asomugha this past offseason.

Against Eli Manning and the Giants, Rogers was brilliant. He intercepted two of Manning's passes and kept Victor Cruz's impact to a minimum. Cruz still managed to catch six passes for 84 yards, but he didn't catch a touchdown pass.

There can be no doubt in anybody's mind that Carlos Rogers is a top three cornerback in the NFL after the way he has played this season. Thank goodness he's on our side!

Patrick Willis

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Willis continued his dominant play against the Giants, recording 11 tackles and a sack.

His leadership role has grown this season, and he has begun leading the team in a Ray Lewis like pre-game huddle. It's hard to imagine that Willis might actually be getting more confident, but his increased vocal leadership demonstrates just that.

How many times did you see the Giants run through a hole and worry that they might break off a huge gain, only to see Willis dart in at the last second and stop the runner cold in his tracks?

Alex Smith

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

In a statement game, head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman decided it was time to make a statement of their own.

The game plan out of the gate was to let Alex Smith dictate the flow of the offense through his arm. He accomplished this plan with precision and grace, as the West Coast offense began to unfold in all its splendor on the hallowed grounds of Candlestick Park.

An ignorant fan might point to the stat sheet and complain that he still managed to throw an interception, but you all know that if it weren't for Ted Ginn Jr.'s facemask getting in the way of a perfect throw, Smith wouldn't have that blemish on his record.

The New York Giants have an elite pass rush and are one of the most feared defenses in the NFL. Alex Smith and the 49ers took on the challenge with a shrug and took the Giants' best shots. Ultimately, the better team won.